And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined, shall he pour upon the desolate.

In this ninth chapter of Daniel's prophecy, and this last verse, verse 27, our devotional reading for today, we see that the ancient Jewish prophet lays out for the student of Bible prophecy the period of time known as the "Tribulation Period".

There are three elements in this passage that must fit within the seven years, actually they will come to fulfillment within the first three and one half years of the seven years of judgment on the earth that leads up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, back to the Earth.

The first element will be the appearance of the "Tyrant," a name I have added to the twenty-seven other names for the main character in the Tribulation. To list a few of these please recall that in Daniel 7:8 he is known as the "little horn".

But the most familiar name to you might be how John calls him in I John 2:18, the "Antichrist". This "Tyrant" will appear on the Earth as a result of the revival of the old Roman Empire, Daniel 7:7 and 24. This "world dictator" will come to power and "confirm" a "treaty," a "covenant" between the Jews and their neighbors, "many" in verse 27.

Notice that the Antichrist will not "sign" a peace treaty, but "confirm" treaties already on the table but not working. Today there are three such treaties that Israel has signed and are waiting to be "confirmed," made to work. In fact it is the "confirmation" of this treaty that starts the clock ticking on the seven year Tribulation.

The last element in the beginning of the Tribulation is the Temple. The Antichrist will perform the "abomination of desolation" in the Temple as he walks into the "Holy of Holies" and claims to be God, as foretold in II Thessalonians 2:4.

By the way, all preparations have been made for the building of the Tribulation Temple. Remember, Jesus will build His Kingdom Temple after His return but there will be a Tribulation Temple that the Antichrist will desecrate during the seven years of judgment. That Temple is ready to be built.

This all said, and taken from our devotional reading of just one verse, the event of the Rapture, the next event on God’s calendar of prophetic events, will happen before Daniel 9:27 is fulfilled and could happen today. Keep looking up.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord for Your prophecies that help me understand the times in which we're living. Thank you also for the promise of the Rapture and the understanding that it could happen at any moment. Help me to live in light of that truth, today.